The “Game of School” is a great read that has a lot of points that I didn’t really think of before. In the very beginning it says basically that yeah there are some issues with school systems because nothings perfect, but it’s the way we look at these problems that makes them even worse. One of the worse problems is that the students are literally playing a game with their schooling. The example given was that the children had to read a story and then ask a question about it. But, the kids cheated the system and read the first page and would then ask a very ambiguous question about the book in general. The kids are playing the game and are winning. The sad thing is that they don’t realize that they are actually losing. They aren’t able to understand and take part in the deep learning we have been talking about. By cheating the system and only learning the facts needed to ace a test, and forgetting it all once the test is handed in, they aren’t able to experience the full effects of school. I never really thought of this before but we all do it, we learn what we absolutely need to “just to learn” and that’s it, nothing more nothing less. We have been playing this game of school our whole lives, with little realization of the impact it would have on us. Looking back now I can realize I wasn’t ever a deep learner and wish I was. I might be a totally different person with different and more intellectual views on everything. Clearly this can all be changed though. I am a perfect example. I was never a deep learner, always knowing just what I had to do well on the tests and doing just enough classwork to get me through the class. But now, I know how bad that is and how great it is to actually do all the work and more. You learn so much more and you aren’t constantly worried that you studied the wrong little bit of info. I have a better overall concept of everything and it is MUCH more beneficial than playing the game of school.
Clearly this can all be changed though. I am a perfect example. I was never a deep learner, always knowing just what I had to do well on the tests and doing just enough classwork to get me through the class. But now, I know how bad that is and how great it is to actually do all the work and more. You learn so much more and you aren’t constantly worried that you studied the wrong little bit of info. I have a better overall concept of everything and it is MUCH more beneficial than playing the game of school.